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towards one another and towards all men.

16 Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing: 18 in every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings: 21 but prove all things; and hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of

evil.

wholly and may you throughout, spirit, life, and body, be preserved unblameable to the appearance of our Lord Jesús Christ. 24 Faithful is he who calleth you; and he will also do this.*

25 BRETHREN pray for us. 26 Salute all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27 I adjure you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the [holy] brethren. 28 The favour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

23 And may the God of peace himself sanctify you Amen."

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE
THESSALONIANS.

CHAP. I.

1 PAUL and Sylvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians which is in God our Father, and in our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 favour be to you, and peace, from God [our] Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We ought to thank God continually for you, brethren, as it is fit, that your faith increaseth exceedingly, and that the love of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth : 4 so that we ourselves glory in you among the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and afflictions which ye endure; 5 for a manifestation of the

just judgment of God, and to the end that ye may be rendered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye even suffer: 6 since it is a just thing with God, to recompense affliction to those who afflict you: 7 but to you who are afflicted, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who know not God, and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 these shall suffer punishment, even aionian destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 when he shall come in that day to be glorified by his saints,

* i. e. he will grant my petition for you.

and to be admired by all those who have believed: (for our testimony among you hath been believed.)

11 To which end also we pray for you always, that our God would render you worthy of this calling, and accomplish with power, every kind intention of beneficence, and work of faith: 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the favour of our God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.

CH. II. 1 NOW we beseech you, brethren, concerning the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him, 2 that ye be not easily shaken from your judgment, or troubled, either by revelation of the spirit, or by word, or by epistle, as from us, that the day of the Lord is instantly coming.*

3 Let no one by any means deceive you for that day will not come, unless there come first a falling away, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of destruction; 4 who opposeth, and exalteth himself above every one who is called god, or the object of worship: so that he sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself to be a god.

5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And

now ye know what hindereth ; to the end that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of unrighteousness already worketh: only he who now hindereth will hinder, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then the unrighteous one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the breath of his mouth, and will destroy with the brightness of his appearance: 9 even him, whose appearance is according to the working of the adversary, with all false miracles and signs and wonders, 10 and with all iniquitous deceit [among] those who are lost; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God will send them a mighty working of error, that they should believe a falsehood; 12 so that all will be condemned who believe not the truth, but have pleasure [in] iniquity.

13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, that God from the beginning chose you to salvation, in holiness of spirit, and belief of the truth: 14 for which end, he hath called you through our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 So then, brethren, stand firmly, and hold fast the traditions which ye have been taught,

*See Rom. viii. 38. 1 Cor. iii. 22. The apostle had never affirmed that the second coming of Christ was to take place instantaneously, or that very year, as he knew that some impor tant events were to intervene. But this is by no means inconsistent with the supposition, that he might expect this event to take place before the decease of some who were then living.

See Im. Ver. note.

whether by our word or by for nothing; but worked with

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CH. III. 1 FINALLY, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is among you; 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all have not faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you, and keep you from evil. 4 And we have confidence through the Lord, concerning you, that ye both do, and will do, the things which we command you. 5 And may the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God, and to the patient waiting for Christ.

6 Now, we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw yourselves from every brother who walketh disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they received from us. 7 For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us; for we behaved not ourselves in a disorderly way among you: 8 nor did we eat bread from any one

labour and toil, night and day, that we might not be burdensome to any of you: 9 not because we have no right; but to make ourselves an example to you, that ye might imitate us.

-10 For, when we were with you, this we commanded you, that, if any be not willing to work, neither let him eat. 11 For we hear that there are some among you, who walk disorderly, doing no business, but prying into the business of others. 12 Now those who are such we command, and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that they quietly do their own business, and eat their own bread.

13 But, brethren, be ye not weary in well-doing. 14 And if any one obey not our word by this epistle, mark that man, [and] keep not company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always, in every manner. The Lord be with you all.

17 THE salutation by the hand of me Paul; which is my token in every epistle: thus I write. 18 The favour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. [Amen.]

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY.

CHAP. I.

1 PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the appointment of God our Saviour, and Christ Jesus, our hope, 2 to Timothy my own son in the faith; favour, mercy, and peace from God [our] Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 AS I besought thee to remain in Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some not to teach other doctrines, 4 nor give heed to fables, and endless genealogies, which minister questions rather than the dispensation of God in faith;* so do. 5 (NOW the end of this charge to thee is love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6 from all which some having erred, have turned aside to vain talk; 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, yet not understanding what they say, nor concerning what they strongly affirm.

8 But we know that the law is good, if any one use it as the law requireth; 9 knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly, and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for mur

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derers of fathers and of mothers, for destroyers of mankind, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for man-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which hath been committed to my trust. 12 [And] I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath given me strength, that he counted me faithful, and put me into the ministry; 13 who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I acted ignorantly through unbelief: 14 and the favour of our Lord hath superabounded, with that faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

15 This saying is true, and worthy to be received by all, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me, a chief sinner, Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for an example to those who should hereafter believe on him to aionian life. 17 Now to the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and

"This is the reading of all the ancient manuscripts except the Clermont. The meaning is, that idle questions concerning the fabulous genealogies of the Oriental philosophy would rather lead to trifling and endless disputes, than to a practical knowledge of the gospel dispensation." Im. Ver. note.

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glory to the ages of ages. Amen.)

18 THIS charge I commit to thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before concerning thee, that by them thou mightest war a good warfare; 19 holding faith and a good conscience, which some having put away, have made shipwreck as to their faith 20 of whom are Hymenéus and Alexander; whom I have delivered to the adversary, that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

CH. II. I EXHORT therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 for kings, and for all who are in high station; that we may lead a quiet and peacable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 who will have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.

5 For there is one God, and also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony is in its proper season; 7 of which I have been appointed a preacher and an apostle, (I speak the truth, not falsely,) a teacher of the gentiles in faith and truth.

8 I will therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up

holy hands, without anger and disputing: 9 in like manner also that women adorn themselves in decent apparel, with modesty and soberness of mind; not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array: 10 but (which becometh women professing godliness) in good works.

11 Let the women learn in silence, in all subjection. 12 But I suffer not the woman to teach, or to usurp authority over the man; but command her to remain in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve: 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman having been deceived, was in the transgression. 15 Notwithstanding, she shall be preserved through child-bearing; if they continue in faith, and love, and holiness, with soberness of mind.

CH. III. 1 THIS saying is true: "If any man wish for the office of a bishop,t he desireth an honourable employment." 2 A bishopt then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, self-governed, decent, hospitable, apt to teach; 3 not a continuer at wine, not a strik. er; but mild, not contentious, not covetous; 4 one that ruleth his own family well, having his children in subjection with all gravity: 5 (but if a man know not how to rule his own family, how can he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a new

"That is, he had excommunicated them." Dr. Priestly. See 1 Cor. v. 5. He had expelled them from that community, of which Christ was the head and ruler, to the kingdom of heathenism and darkness, of which satan [the adversary] was the supposed chief.

† Or, an overseer, a superintendant of the church, the same as a presbyter, or elder. See Acts xx. 17, 28.

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